The distribution of various kinds of produce in thin, usually transparent, plastic bags has usually become widespread over the years. Produce such as carrots, for example, are easily bagged using mechanical bagging apparatus because the product itself has considerable strength. Typical of prior art carrot bagging apparatus are the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,516 to Alameda et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,569 to McClelland et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,478 to Maglecic.
The mechanical or automated packaging of leafy vegetables is most successfully accomplished when the vegetables can be shredded, chopped, or are susceptible to compression during the packaging process. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,440 to VanKesteren; U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,786 to Long et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,547 to Ross; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,131 to Kissling are all typical of automated apparatus for packaging cut, shredded or iced leafy vegetables in which the bagging process involves substantial compression of the product.
Although not employed in connection with produce, the bagging of a variety of other particulate products, which are highly compressed, is also known. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,168 to Doninger, for example, garbage is highly compressed in a sleeve positioned inside a garbage container or receptacle as part of automatic trash packaging apparatus.
In commercial practice, however, fresh, whole-leaf vegetables such as spinach and certain types of lettuce have not been mechanically packed without excessive damage to the produce. Thus, bagging of fresh, rather fragile, leafy vegetables without damage usually is accomplished by hand. Commercial processes for the same, therefore, have been undesirably labor intensive, and attempts at mechanical packaging have been largely unsatisfactory.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the bagging of fresh, relatively fragile, leafy vegetables which permits same to be accomplished automatically without commercially unacceptable damage to the produce.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for packaging leafy vegetables, such as spinach and leaf lettuce, which will enable the bagging of same with minimal product crushing and bruising.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic spinach and lettuce bagging apparatus and method which is suitable for use with fresh, whole-leaf produce and is much more economical than hand bagging of such produce.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus method for bagging leafy vegetables which is suitable for use with automated bag forming apparatus to provide an integrated bag forming and bagging system.
The leafy vegetable bagging apparatus and method of the present invention have other objects and features of advantage which will become apparent, or are set forth in more detail in, the accompanying drawing and following description of the Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention.